Many of the homes listed in this booklet are private residences. Please respect the privacy of the home owners.
LeClaire Boat Yard 1898
This booklet was created and sponsored by the Buffalo Bill Museum LeClaire, IA Buffalobillmuseumleclaire.com
LeClaire view from the Mississippi River 1930
This project paid for you in part by the Iowa Tourism Office
LeClaire, Iowa LeClaire, IA was known mostly for location and river traffic. The town is situated on the point where the Mississippi River makes a sharp turn to the west and runs southwesterly for fifteen miles. In earlier days this was known as the Upper Rock Island Rapids. It was dangerous to navigate because of high rocks and a narrow twisting channel. During the 1840’s to 1910, LeClaire was home to specialized riverboat captains and pilots who would navigate this 15 mile stretch of rapids for Mississippi riverboats. Chief Blackhawk Members of the Sauk and Fox tribes lived in the area of LeClaire. There was a fierce Native American battle in 1804 in the area between LeClaire and Princeton, Iowa, where the Olathea Golf Course is located today, the battle was fought between the Sauk and Joe Hawthorne John Wesley Van Sant Fox fought tribes against the Sioux tribe. Around 1000 Native Americans were killed in the fight.
Antoine LeClaire In 1829 three homesteading families moved into the LeClaire area and through the Peace Treaty of 1832 the Natives gave a section of land at the head of the Upper Map of Sites & Homes Rapids to Antoine LeClaire. This tract is where the City of LeClaire is now located.
The City received its Charter in 1834. The state of Iowa became the 29th state in 1846 and in April of that same year "Buffalo Bill" William F. Cody was born in a log cabin two miles northwest of LeClaire. The years up through 1850 showed the town growing. There was one hotel, a town pump, boat supply store, and several river pilots built homes. By 1850 LeClaire development was so William F Cody rapid that it had promise of becoming a large city. By 1856 there were eighteen new stores, and employment available for carpenters, caulkers, and mechanics on the boatyards. There were sawmills, flour mills, a plow factory, and brick making among the early industry. From LeClaire itself came much of the stone, brick, and wood used in the construction of the homes. Many which are now recognized as part of the nine block Cody Road Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places. By 1857 financial panic hit LeClaire after Davenport bridged the river. The Stone School was built in 1866. By the late 1890’s the railroad came through town, and wing dams and revetments built on the upper Mississippi made nearly all channels navigable. Both these events caused decline in river pilots and river traffic reached a low point - logs and lumber were now railroaded. Farming became more popular with the decline in river employment.
The famous Green Tree elm was located along Riverboat Pilots of LeClaire the banks of the Mississippi River in LeClaire. It was known as a landmark among people who lived in LeClaire, and to people who had visited LeClaire. In 1920 it was placed on the register of the American Forestry Association's famous trees. In 1964 it contracted Dutch Elm disease and had to be cut down. A section of the famous tree can be viewed in the Buffalo Bill Museum The Green Tree on the LeClaire levee.
The Lone Star Steam Wheeler (built 1869, retired in 1889. In 1890 a new Lone Star was built and decommissioned 1967) is the only surviving example in the United States of a wooden-hulled boat built in the traditional Arthur Dawely Western Rivers fashion. The Lone Star was designated a National Historic Landmark The Lone Star and is open to visitors at the Buffalo Bill Museum.
Charles Tromley Historic Sites & Homes of LeClaire Horton – Suiter House 102 N 2nd Street Built c. 1860 The house is believed to be built for Henry Horton, who worked as an engineer on the raft steamers. The house was later occupied by James Suiter, one of the last of the LeClaire rapids pilots who supported his river income by working as a mortician during the winter months. Style: The 1 1/2 cottage is five bays across the front with a low pitched gable roof. A one story addition with a slanted roof was built later. The house is now a private residence.
Jacob Suiter Jacob Suiter House nd 214 South 2 Street Built c. 1860 Jacob Suiter (1828-1904) was the second generation of Suiters to be a raft and rapids pilot. Style: A variation on the Italianate style, James Suiter the home features a bracketed cornice and corner pilasters. At the rear of the house is a one-story brick kitchen addition. The house is now a private residence.
George Tromley Sr. House The Gault House 806 North Cody Road Built c. 1840 Historic Commercial George Tromley Sr. began his career Building floating log rafts before the Civil War. 207 N Cody Road Tromley was among the first to Built 1850 experiment with steamboats pushing log Early Hotel operated under the rafts. name “Gault House “. Later Style: The house is a 2 story home with a became the “Bard House “. low pitched roof and was built in 2 This building is still used as a sections, the first in 1840 of brick and the second section is framed construction business. with narrow cornices above the windows. The house is now a private residence.
On the Levee John McCaffery House Buffalo Bill Museum & 208 North Cody Road River Pilots’ Pier Built 1870 199 N Front Street John McCaffery a boat clerk, captain, and raft boat owner as well The Buffalo Bill as having interests in lumber and Museum, is focused on mining ventures. McCaffery was life along the Mississippi born in Ireland 1842. River and local history. Style: This 2 story frame Italianate Local history exhibits house is built on a stone foundation and has curved wooden lintels. The roof is include the story of low hip with an un bracketed wooden cornice. There is a 2 story polygonal bay famous people from on the south with a bracketed cornice above the first story bay. LeClaire, including American West showman Buffalo Bill Cody, engineer The house is currently a business. James Buchanan Eads and inventor James Ryan.
The Lone Star Stern Wheeler (built William Suiter House 1869, retired in 1889. In 1890 a new 227 Wisconsin Street Lone Star was built and Built c. 1855 decommissioned 1967) is the only William Suiter was one of the surviving example in the United community’s original settlers and States of a wooden-hulled boat built rapids pilot. William began life on the in the traditional Western Rivers Mississippi as a raft hand, but was fashion. That river system, comprised piloting boats by the time he was 21 of the Mississippi, Ohio, and and continued for almost 40 years. Missouri Rivers carried most of the Style: 2 story house with shallow gable immigrants and freight that settled roof is 3 bays wide. It follows a simple the Midwest. The Lone Star was center hall plan. The house is a private designated a National Historic Landmark and is open to visitors at the Buffalo residence. Bill Museum. The museum is open year round and 7 days a week.
Stone House George Tromley Jr. House 817 N 2nd Street 127 Jones Street Built Cira 1840 Built c. 1865 The rock building was built George Tromley Jr. was the second for use as a girl’s school but generation of pilots to work on the upper was never used as such . It rapids, and thus was among the once was a headquarters for a distinctive family groups which gang of counterfeiters. maintained their connection with the Style: Vernacular early river trade over many years. settlement-era structure Style: 1 ½ tory frame house. The main composed of ashlar blocks of roof is a jerkinhead dormer centered in limestone. The house is a the front façade. The house is now a private residence. private residence. Samuel Van Sant House 322 North Cody Road Cody Road Built c. 1860 Historic Commercial – In 1869 – 70 Samuel and his father J.W. Van Sant designed and built the Residential Building J.W. Van Sant, a raft boat which 114 N Cody Road revolutionized the movement of logs Built 1851 and lumber down the Mississippi Note the stone foundation. This building is River. In the 1880’s he moved to still used today as a commercial retail Minnesota and became the Governor business. of the state. Style: This 1 ½ story is sided with clapboards. The upper story has a Historic Commercial Building triangular dormer. The house is currently a business 101 South Cody Road Built ? Kattenbracher House The photo was taken when this building was 1125 North 2nd Street used as the Green Tree Grocery. The historic Built c. 1860 Green Tree was located a short distance Charles Kattenbracher established a behind the building. This building is still used foundry along the river, which was today as a commercial retail business. principally engaged in working with the LeClaire Marine Railway boatyards run by Historic Commercial Building J.W. Van Sant & Son. Style: 2 story rectangular house has a low 201 – 203 North Cody Road hip roof with very wide bracketed eaves This building at the corner of Cody road and and medallions. This house is now a Jones has had a variety of uses including a private residence. doctors office, LeClaire City Hall and the Buffalo Bill Museum. This building is still used as a business.
John Smith House Old Mill House 419 n. Cody Road 426 Dodge Street Built c. 1851 Built c. 1850 Built by Alfred Jassen, John Smith was a riverboat pilot Acquired by J.W. Van Sant known for his involvement in the along with adjoining boatyards “Effie Afton” case after the in 1865. railroad hired him in 1856 to Style The house features a prove that a steamer could pass symmetrical façade and sits on a under the bridge without danger. stone foundation which on the Smith also devised a towboat used to steer large rafts of logs through the river. river side forms a walkout Style: This house is a small brick, 1 story built on a low stone foundation. It basement. The house is now a has a gabled roof and front is 3 bays wide, the sides are 2 bays wide. There is multi – use building. a large wooded frieze, beaded at the bottom that runs across the front of the house. The house is now a private residence Dawley House John H Suiter House 127 S Second Street 1220 N. 2nd Street Built: 1851 Built 1855 Danial V Dawley obtained his first river John Suiter was second generation river job about 1836 as a clerk on the steamer pilot. 1843 until 1875 John Suiter worked “Hero.” as a rapid pilot. John also acquired Style: 2 story brick Italianate style on a extensive agriculture and real estate stone foundation, the shallow hipped holdings. roof has 4 short, wide chimneys. The 3 Style: 2 story house of frame construction bays on the main façade are separated by on a stone foundation. The front of the flat brick pilasters. The home is now a house is 3 bays wide with a sheltered business. porch running the full width of the façade. The house is now a private residence. Rambo House James Gamble House 430 North Cody Road 527 Wisconsin Street Built 1855 Built c. 1855 William Rambo came to LeClaire James Gamble was born in Ireland in 1821, in 1844 and established a saw emigrated with his parents to the U.S. in mill. For almost 20 years he was 1823. He received his medical degree in a pilot on the upper Rapids. 1847 and moved to LeClaire where he Style: Transitional Greek Revival/ practiced medicine for nearly 50 years. Italianate frame dwelling. The Style: The house reflects the Italianate flipped roof features broad eves Palazzo style, with bricks laid in a 6 course and large brackets. This house in common bond. The main roof is very low hip now a business. with 3 brick chimneys. The main entrance is sheltered by a flat-roofed porch with 2 wooded columns on high pedestals. The house is a private residence.